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No. 6I5,I5I. Patented Nov. 29, I898. M. FERGUSON.

MACHINE FOR THICKENING EDGES 0F METAL PLATES.

(Application filed Aug. 1, 1898.)

6 Sheets-Sheet I.

1?? wow jg/e hiz W /W THE nonms PETERS co. PNOTO-UTNO.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

No. 6|5,|5|. Patented Nov. 29, I898.

M. FERGUSON. MACHINE FOR THICKENING EDGES 0F METAL PLATES.

(Application filed Aug. 1, 1898.) (N o M o d e I 6 Sheets-Sheet 2.

MACHINE FOR THICKENING EDGES OF METAL PLATES.

(Application filed Aug. 1, 1398. T.

(No Model.)

6 Sheets-She'et 3.

OOOOOOOO jmnzar i ff Jilgak anifg m W, W [By W No. 6i5,|5l. Patented Nov. 29, I898.

M. FERGUSON.

MACHINE FOR THICKENING EDGES 0F METAL PLATES.

(Application filed Aug. 1, 1898.) (No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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@ nnnnnnr n 61 N0. 6l5,l5|. Patented Nov. 29, I898. m. FERGUSON.

MACHINE FOR THICKENING EDGES 0F METAL PLAT ES.

, (Application filed Aug. 1, 1898.) (No Model.)

6 Sheets-Sheet 5.

Tnznonms PETERS cov. PHQTO-LITNQ.. WASHINGTON u c Patented Nov. 29, I898.

M. FERGUSON.

MACHINE FOR THICKENING EDGES 0F METAL PLATES.

(Application filed Augv 1, 1898.)

6 Sheets8heet 6.

(No Model.)

JIQVEJZZLOT, afllp%ziajzymow J 80,. vncmnlma. WASNXNGTCIN a c NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MEPHAN FERGUSON, OF MELBOURNE, VICTORIA.

MACHINE FOR THICKENING EDGES OF METAL PLATES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 615,151, dated November 29, 1898. Application filed August 1, 1898. Serial No. 687,418. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MEPHAN FERGUSON, engineer, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at the Olderfleet, Collins street, Melbourne, in the British Colony of Victoria, have invented improvements in machines for forming dovetail or approximately dovetail edges on plates to be used in the manufacture of rivetless pipes, (for which I applied for a patent in Victoria November 1, 1897, No. 14,728; in New South Wales November 2, 1897, No. 7,957; in Queensland November 4: 1897, No. 4,167; in South Australia November 2, 1897, No. 5,147; in \Vestern Australia November 8, 1897, No. 1,855; in Tasmania November 4, 1897, No. 2,043; in New Zealand November 11, 1897, No. 10,114, and in Great Britain December 6, 1897, No. 28,804,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture of rivetless pipes from sheets of metal whose longitudinal edges are upset or thickened into a dovetail or approximately dovetail shape, after which they are bent into a semicircle or other arc of a circle and are then coupled together by closing down the sides of a lockingbar of H section, so as to grip said thickened edges.

My present invention consists in a machine constructed as hereinafter clescribed,\vhereby said longitudinal edges of said plates after having been planed'are upset or thickened. In order that it may be clearly understood, I will describe it by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a side elevation of a machine constructed according .to my invention with part broken away in order to reduce its length to more convenient proportions. Fig. 1 is a similar View of the remaining portion or righthand end of the machine shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is an elevation of one end of said machine, while Fig. 3 is a similar view of the opposite end. Figs. 4 to 19 are views of various details hereinafter described.

The same letters of reference are used to indicate the same parts throughout the drawlngs.

A A represent a substantial bed or base resting upon cross beams or girders a, bedded upon some suitable foundation. This bed or base A A is preferably divided longitudinally in order that its width may be adjusted to suit different widths of plates to be operated upon, stout distance pieces or blocks A being inserted between the two halves of the bed A to retain them the requisite distance apart.

The two halves A A of the bed are formed with planed undercut guideways a, along each of which an upright casting B is arranged to slide. These two castings are connected together by four stout screw-threaded bolts or distance-bars b and form a traveling saddle. Said bolts are fitted with nuts 1), whereby the two castings B may be clamped and held rigidly at such a distance apart from each other that they will be free to slide along the guideways a on the bed A, but will not be jammed against them and thus cause undue friction and waste of power.

Upon each of the castings B a number of upsetting-rollers C are mounted, as illustrated in Fig. 7, said rollers being mounted each in the end of a stout rod 0, projecting from holes provided for the purpose in the castings B, and adapted to be moved outward more or less by means of a screw-threaded rod 0 fitted with a nut 0 working within a recess 0 formed in the casting. The rear ends of the screw-threaded adj usting-rods c are squared or otherwise sided, as illustrated at 0 and are also screw-threaded to receive a small lock-nut 0 whereby they may be locked in position. The rods 0', carrying the rollers, may be clamped by a set-screw 0 the lower end of which projects into a small groove 0 formed in the top of said rods. The upsetting-rollers C are arranged so that each one projects slightly farther from the carrier B than the preceding rod.

A pair of vertically-arranged rollers D are mounted upon the ends of a pair of small levers d, which are fulcrumed upon set-screws d upon the rear face of each casting B, so that they occupy a position one immediately above and the other immediately below the edge of the plate to be operated upon, as illustrated in Fig. 9. A strap (1" encircles the outer ends of these two levers d, and the upper end of said strap is provided with a set-screw d whereby the distance between the two rollers D D can be adjusted to a nic'ety, so as to determine the ultimate thickness of the edge of the plate. A lock-nut is provided,

as shown, for the purpose of securing this set-screw (Z in the desired position.

In front of and connected, as shown at E, to each half of the saddle I3 is a smaller saddle E, which is constructed, as illustrated in Figs. 1, l, 6, and 10, so that it can be moved along the undercut guides a, a removable and adjustable block 6 being provided for insuring a good fit against said guides.

Suitable cutter-holders f are fitted in recesses provided to receive them in the saddles E, said holders being formed at the outer ends with slots to receive small vertical cutters F. The outer ends of these cutterholders fare turned at right angles, as illustrated in Fig. 6, so that they bear one against the other and thus assist in strengthening each other. Set-screws f extend through the saddles E and bear against the ends of each cutter-holder f in order that said cutters may be set each slightly in advance of the following one, by which means successive cuts will be taken off the edges of the plate until its width is reduced to the extent required.

The saddles B 13 and E E are moved along the guideways a by a long screw-threaded shaft G on each side of the machine. This screw-threaded shaft G is mounted in bearings 5 g at each end and passes through a nut II in the saddle 13. The bearings g g for the screw-threaded shaft G are of ordinary construction, but the end of said shaft terminates in a flange 9 (illustrated in Figs. 1 and 11,) between which and the bearings g are two steel rings or collars 9 each formed with an annular race g in their adjacent faces. In these races are placed a number of radial conical rollers 9 whereby the pull of the screw-threaded shaft G is taken up without causing undue friction.

The nuts II fit within the lower parts of the castings l3 and are made in halves, bolted together, as illustrated in Fig. 4, in order that they may be fitted upon the screw-threaded shafts G. To prevent their rotation, these nuts are made square at the center, as illustrated,in order that a locking-piece h may be inserted between said squared portion and the under side of the castings 13.

It will be readily understood that owing to the length of the screw-threaded shafts G some means must be provided for supporting them in addition to the bearings at each end, and these supports must be so arranged as not to interfere with the travel of the saddles B E. I accomplish this by mounting another smaller screw-threaded shaft I in bearings t' on the sides of the bed A underneath the main screw-shaft G, and I make the pitch of the screw-threads on these shafts I just onehalf the pitch of the threads on the main shafts G.

J J represent traveling supports, two of which are provided 011 each side of the machine for the screw-threaded shafts G to rest upon. These supports hang upon planed guides j, provided for the purpose along each side of the bed A, as illustrated in Fig. 12, and they are each provided with a nutj made in halves, as illustrated in Fig. 13, to enable them to be clamped upon the shafts I. The upper part of each of these traveling supports is provided with a pair of antifriction-rollersj upon which the screw-threaded shafts G rest and wherebysaid shafts are supported, the rollers 7' allowing said shafts to revolve without offering much frictional resistance to them. As the pitch of the threads on the shaft I is one-half the pitch of the threads on the shafts G, these supports J will travel at one-half the speed of the saddles l3 and E, the effect being that one of the supports J will always be in a position about midway between said saddles and the ends of the machine. Consequently at no part of the operation will more than one-half of the screw-threaded shafts G be unsupported.

The metal plate, whose edges are to be planed and thickened, is laid upon the bed A, so that it slightly overhangs the central part thereof on either side. It is held in position by two beams or girders K, extending from end to end of the machine and coupled together by crosspieces at convenient i11- tervals. Underneath these beams or girders are fixed lengths of wood or other packing material, as indicated at k in Fig. 3. Provision is made for drawing down these beams K in order to clamp the metal sheet upon the bed A, as well as for raising them from of]? said plate when it is desired to remove same from the machine. To effect these objects, a pair of hydraulic cylinders L M are provided at each end of the beams, the former being of larger diameter than the latter and being provided with a piston Z, as illustrated in Fig. 14, connected rigidly to the cross-pieces 7;, said piston being provided with a cupleather Z while the piston rod Z passes through a gland at the upper end of said cylinder.

The cylinders M for raising the beams K are fitted with solid rams or plungers m, having inverted cup-leathers m at their lower ends. The two holding-down cylinders L are connected together to a pipe Z", leading to one of the ports Z of a hydraulic reversing-valve of any preferred construction-such, for instance, as is shown in Figs. 16 and 17-while the two raising-cylinders M are connected together by a pipe on to another port m of said reversing-valve. This latter is provided with an exhaust n and with an inlet a for the power-water to be obtained from any convenient source of supply. This reversing-valve is fitted with a plunger n adapted to be raised and lowered by means of an operatinglever n whereby the power-water may be fed into the raising-cylinders M or into said raisin g-cylinders as well as into the holding-down cylinders L, or whereby said holding-down cylinders may be placed in communication with the exhaust-port n.

IIO

The screw-threaded shafts G and I are driven by spur-gearing, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, 0 being a main shaft which is mounted in suitable bearings and is fitted with two sets of fast and loose pulleys 0 0 A small pinion 0 on this shaft 0 gears with a spurwheel 0 on one of the shafts G. This spurwheel gears with a corresponding idle spurwheel 0 which is mounted on a verticallyadjustable bearing in the center of the machine and gears with another spur-wheel 0 on the opposite shaft G. The reason for mounting the intermediate spur wheel 0 011 a vertically-adjustabl'e bearing, as illustrated in Figs. 18 and 19, is because of the necessity for varying the width of the bed of the machine and the distance between the halves of the saddle B. This vertical adjustment is readily accomplished by bolting a bracket 0 (see Figs. 18 and 19) upon the end of the bed of the machine, holes 0 being provided in said bracket at certain distances apart to enable the bearing to be secured at the desired height.

The shafts I are driven from the shafts G through the medium of spur-gearing c".

It is necessary to provide means for stop-,

ping and reversing the machine when the saddles B E have reached either end of their stroke. This is accomplished by providing belt-shifting contrivauces P in connection with the pulleys 0' 0 and by connecting said contrivances to a striking-lever p p at each end of the machine, pivoted stops or buffers 3 5 p 19 being provided upon each of said levers for the saddles B E to contact with at the end of their stroke.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The plate whose edges are to be planed and thickened is laid upon the bed A A, so that its edges overhang slightly on either side, and is held firmly by operating the valve N so as to admit power-water into the cylinders L. The saddles B E having been previously moved back to the right-hand end of the machine are drawn forward by shiftingthe driving-belt onto the fast pulley of the set 0. This rotates the screw-threaded shaft G and thus causes said saddles to travel. The first cut ter F removes some of the inequalities from the edge of the plate, and each succeeding cutter takes another out until the plate is reduced to the exact width required. The rollers C then come into operation and gradually upset the edges of the plate until it is dovetail or approximately dovetail shaped in cross-section, after which the two rollers D true up the thickened edge of the plate and reduce it to a uniform thickness. When the saddles B E have traveled along the full length of the plate, the front of one-of the saddles E comes in contact with the buffer 10 forces back the upper ends of the levers p, and shifts the belt onto the idle one of the set of pulleys 0' and the other belt onto the fast one of the set of pulleys 0 thus reversing the motion of the screws Gr and returning the saddles B and E to the opposite end of the machine. The valve N is operated so as to put the cylinders L in communication with the exhaust, leaving the cylinders M in communication with the power-Water inlet, thus raising the holding-clown beams or girders K and allowing the plate to be removed and another one to be placed in position ready for a fresh operation.

It will be understood that as the saddles B and E are moved in either direction along the bed the traveling supports J will follow at half the speed, as above described, and thus the screw G will be effectively supported.

In case of very narrow plates beingrequired to be operated upon two of them can be laid side by side on the bed A, or the distanceblocks A of varying widths can be placed between the two halves of the bed, the nuts on the tie-bolts I) being adjusted to regulate the widths of the saddles, as above described.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. A machine for forming dovetail, or approximately dovetail edges on metal plates comprising a bed affording guideways, asaddle traveling thereon, means for propelling said saddle, a series of upsetting-rollers carried by said saddle and projecting at successively-increasing distances from the face thereof and designed in the movement of the saddle to engage with the edge of the plate to upset the same, a pair of rollers carried by said saddle and engaging, respectively the upper and under sides of said upset edge whereby to reduce said upset portion to a uniform thickness, and means for adjusting the space between said rollers, substantially as described.

2. A machine for forming dovetail, or approximately dovetail edges on metal plates comprising a bed affording guideways and divided longitudinally into two parts separated by distance-pieoes, whereby the width of said bed may be adjusted, a saddle traveling on said guideways and adjustable in width to meet the adjustment of said bed, means for propelling said saddle, upsetting rollers carried by said saddle and located at opposite sides thereof and designed, in the movement of the saddle to engage with opposite edges of the plate to upset the same, and a pair of rollers located at each side of the saddle, the rollers in each pair engaging, respectively, the upper and under sides of said upset edge, whereby to reduce said upset portions to a uniform thickness, substantially as described.

3. A machine for forming dovetail, or approximately dovetail edges on metal plates comprising a bed affording guideways, a saddle l3, traveling thereon, means for propelling said saddle, saddles E connected to said saddle B, a series of adjustable cutters carried by each of the saddles E for planing down opposite edges of the plate, a series of upsetting-rollers carried by said saddle B at each side thereof and designed, in the movement of the saddle, to follow said cutters and engage with opposite edges of the plate to upset the same, and a pair of rollers located at each side of the saddle, the rollers in each pair engaging respectively, the upper and under sides of said upset edge, whereby to reduce said upset portions to a uniform thickness, substantially as described.

4-. A machine for forming dovetail, or approximately dovetail edges on metal plates comprising a bed affording guideways, a saddle, B, traveling thereon, a screw-shaft operatively geared with said saddle for propelling the same, saddles, E, connected to said saddle B, a series of adjustable cutters carried by each of the saddles E and arranged at successively-increasing distances from the face thereof for planing down opposite edges of the plate, a series of adjustable upsettingrollers carried by said saddle B at each side thereof and arranged at successively-increasing distances from each face thereof and designed, in the movement of the saddle, to follow said cutters and engage with opposite edges of the plate to upset the same, a pair of rollers located at each side of the saddle, the rollers in each pair engaging, respectively, the upper and under sides of said upset edge, whereby to reduce said upset portions to a uniform thickness, and means for adjusting the distance between said rollers, substantially as described.

5. In a machine of the class described the combination with a traveling saddle and a screw-shaft G for propelling the same, a second screw-shaft having threads of less pitch than those of the screw-shaft G, and supports traveling on said second screw-shaft and bearing on the under side of the screw-shaft G to support the same, substantially as described.

MEPIIAN FERGUSON.

\Vi tn esses EDWARD \VATERS, \VAL'IER Snv'rnn BAvs'roN. 

